INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS.

As it was desirable, that the foregoing reflections should be accompanied by some rule of practical instruction, exhibiting that MANIFESTED WILL, to which it is our great concern to endeavour to conform our own wills, during our present allotment of life*, I have not hesitated to make choice of the following excellent summary of that Will; which, as far as I have been able to discover, has never before appeared in an English translation. It is, the Epistle of PAULINUS, Bishop of Nola in Italy, about the year 400, to CELANTIA, a Roman lady of fashion, rank, and opulence; in reply to various letters, in which she had earnestly solicited

See Preliminary Chapter, p. 13.

him, to draw out for her some short and distinct RULE OF CHRISTIAN LIFE, which she might have always at hand, to govern her conversation with the world. In this valuable breviary of Christian excellence, the reader will behold what primitive Christianity was; before superstition, priestcraft, and a reviving passion for sensual worship, had begun to obscure and deface the Christian church. And he cannot but be struck, by remarking, how nearly that form of Christianity resembles the public profession of our own established church; and, indeed, of most of the chief Protestant communions. The same may also be found, in a very eminent degree, within the church of Rome. Not indeed in its public doctrine and demeanor, but in the retirements of its closets, and the recesses of its ancient cloisters; as the admirable manual, De Imitatione Christi―Of the Imitation of Christ; (ascribed, vulgarly and erroneously, to Thomas à Kempis ;) and various other exquisite works of Christian piety, sufficiently demonstrate.

A

The age of Paulinus, was still the age, which, (to use the words of the Abbé du Fresnoy,)" was

"the most brilliant of Christianity; in which "Christians were only distinguished, by the live "liness of their faith, and by the exemplary sim "plicity of their manners. It was not philosophy, "which inspired their virtues. The generality of "the first Christians were nothing less than phi "losophers; they were persons of the world, who 66 were touched by divine grace, and who sur"rendered themselves wholly to the maxims of "the Gospel, Ignorant of, or contemning, the "doctrines of Plato and Pythagoras, which only "flattered the genius and the imagination, they

gave up their hearts to the rules, which were "prescribed by THE APOSTLES, or THEIR SUC "CESSORS.-Ce sont là les tems les plus brillans "du Christianisme; les fidèles ne se distinguant " que par une foi vive, et par une admirable sim "plicité de mœurs. Ce n'est point la philosophie "qui leur inspire cette droiture de sentiment.

"Les premiers Chrétiens n'étoient rien moins que

philosophes; c'étoient des gens du monde que "la grace touchoft, et qui s'abbandonoïent aux "seules maximes de l'Evangile. Ignorant ou mé prisant la doctrine de Platon, et de Pythagore, qui ne flattoit que l'esprit et l'imagination; les premiers Chrétiens se livroient intérieurement aux régles, que leur préscrivoient les apôtres, ou leurs successeurs."

PONTIUS PAULINUS, of Roman origin, and of a patrician and consular family established near Burdigala, (Bourdeaux,) in Gaul, was born A. D. 353. He received his education from the Roman poet Ausonius, under whom he made an extraordinary progress in poetry and rhetoric. Many affectionate letters of the teacher to his pupil still survive. When Ausonius was called by the Em peror Valentinian to direct the education of his son Gratian, Paulinus quitted Burdigala, and pro ceeded to Rome; where he so highly distinguished himself by his pleadings at the bar, that, in the

year 375, he was raised to the consular dignity having been already invested with the senatorial, and being beloved by all the city. In the following year, he commenced his travels through the western provinces of the empire; in the course of which he contracted friendships, with St. Martin, St. Ambrose, and other eminent persons of that age. About fifteen years afterwards, namely, in the year 391, he was baptized by Delphinus, Bishop of Burdigala; and having made large donations to the poor, he went a second time into Spain; and establishing himself at Barcino, (Barcelona,) he there formed the plan of a more rigid and retired course of life, although fre quently and urgently pressed, by Ausonius and others, to resume, his former relations with the world. Upon Christmas day, A. D. 393, he re ceived ordination to the priesthood, from Eulam pius, Bishop of Barcino, to which he was almost compelled by the people; and, from that time, he began to be distinguished as an ecclesiastic, He